Putter



March 1, 1949.

J. AP. MAzzloTTl PUTTER Filed July 23, 1947 INVENTOR.

U Y. T M w R Z O Z T A T M A L Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in putters, and its object is toprovide a better device than has been available heretofore for enablingaA golfer to make accurate putting strokes.

The most outstanding obstacle in the completion of a good score has beenthe failure to master the art of putting. Many a good field game hasbeen lost ultimately on the greens by all Sportsmen from a novice to aprofessional. Attempts have been made to provide devices for practicingputting to overcome this diculty, and golf clubs provided with sightingdevices have been suggested. None of these has been successful forvarious reasons. I have invented what I call a True line putter. This,as will be disclosed hereinafter, is a golf club provided with areflector which can be adjusted to suit the stance of the player andwhich may be folded into the head of the golf club when not in use.

I Will describe my invention in the following specification and pointout its novel features in claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. l is a front elevation of a golf club having a sighting devicewhich is made according to and embodies my invention. In this ligure thesighting device is shown as folded into the head;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the `sighting device raisedinto operative positon;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thesection in this figure is taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the parts shown in the precedingfigures, the section being taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, with the sighting device in anotherof its operative positions;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the parts shown in the preceding figures,with the sighting device closed; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional rear elevation of the nonpositive locking devicewhich is shown in some of the preceding figures. The section in thisgure is taken on the line 'I-I of Fig. 4.

I designates the head of a golf club and Il its shank. The head has aflat base I2, and a striking surface I3 at right angles thereto. Theupper surface of the head is designated by the reference numeral I4. Inthe specific form of the putter shown in the drawings, the head IB ismade of metal, preferably aluminum, and has intermediate its ends araised portion I 5.

This raised portion I and the part of the head immediately below it arecut away to form a 2 pocket I6, with flat parallel inner Walls I'I, andan arcuate surface I8. Indentations I9 are formed in the Walls II onarcuate lines for a purpose which will be described hereinafter. Therear and topv of the pocket are open.

20 designates the sighting device. This has two flat plates 2|, 22joined at one of the edges of each of them, at right angles to eachother and joined at opposite edges by a third plate 23 at 45 to theother plates. Perforate bosses 24 are affixed to the plates 2l, 22 nearthe junction thereof for the reception 0f a pivot pin 25, which extendsthrough the sides of the portion I5 of the head Hl and is parallel tothe striking surface i3. Similar perforate bosses 26 are aixed to theplates 22, 23 near the junction thereof. The bosses 25 support a lockingdevice, which will be explained later. 2l is a mirror or reflector onthe side of the plate 23 which is remote from the plates 2|, 22.

When the sighting device is closed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the plate2| closes the top of the pocket I5, and the plate 22 closes the back ofthe pocket. When in this condition 'the golf club may be used as aputter in the usual manner.

In order to use the sighting device, it maybe raised to position thereflector 2'I at 45 to the base I2 of the head, as shown in Figs. 2 and4. When the head is placed upon a level green, the reflector will thenbe at 45 to the ground level. The club is then brought into proximity toa ball shown in dot-dash lines at B in Figs. 53, 4 and 5. In the formshown, the shaft I I is in a plane parallel with the striking surface I3, which, when positioned as thus described, will be vertical. Theplayer may then turn the shaft Il in one direction or the other, asindicated by the doubleheaded arcuate arrow A in Fig. 3 to bring thereection of the cup into which it is desired to drive the ball in thecenter of the reflector 21. The striking face I3 will then be normal toa line between the ball and the cup into which the ball is to be driven.

The player, by maintaining this relative position of the striking facein making the stroke, is assured that the ball will travel in thedesired direction. The strength of the stroke may be accurately gaugedafter a few trials.

In order to maintain the mirror at the desired angle to the strikingface, a non-positive locking device is provided. This comprises a pairof plungers 3l! slidably mounted in the bosses 26 and pressed outwardlyby a spring 3| (see Fig. 7). The ends of these plungers are convex andengage the indentations I9 to hold the mirror at the desired angle.Other indentations, I9a, may be provided to hold the sighting device inits closed position.

In the foregoing description it has been assumed that the stance of theplayer is such that when making the desired adjustment, the shaft ll isin a vertical position. Some players, however, desire to take a positioneither nearer to the cup or farther from it, and in order to make thedevice adaptable for such positions, the position of the reflector maybe changed from 45 to the striking face to another angle, as shown inFig. 5. The reflector, however, cannot be moved out of planes whichintersect that of the striking surface on lines which are parallel tothe base l2 of the head.

The value of this device to the experienced golfer and to theprofessional is apparent. Likewise, its value to the professional inteaching the amateur cannot be overemphasized.

Various modifications in construction, mode of operation, method and useof an invention may and do occur to others, especially after benefitingfrom knowledge of such disclosures as that herein presented of theprinciples involved, but the invention itself is not confined to thepresent showing.

I claim:

1. A putter having an elongated head with a ibase and an intersectingstriking surface, said head being constructed With a pocket above thebase and intermediate its ends and having an open top, a sighting devicecomprising a plate shaped to lt the open top of the pocket adjustablymovable into different positions, supported near one of its edges by apivot in the head diagonally opposite and parallel with saidintersection of the base and the striking surface, and a reflectorextending at an angle from the edge of the plate opposite its pivotallysupported edge, said plate in one of its positions closing the open topof the pocket.

2. A putter having an elongated head with a base and a fiat strikingsurface intersecting the base at right angles thereto, said head beingconstructed with a pocket above the base and intermediate its ends andhaving an open top, a sighting device comprising a plate shaped to'fitthe open top of the pocket adjustably movable into diierent positions,supported near one of its edges by a pivot in the head diagonallyopposite and parallel with said intersection of the base and thestriking surface, and a reflector eX- tending at an angle from the edgeof the plate opposite its pivotally supported edge, said plate in one ofits positions closing the open top of the pocket.

3. A putter having an elongated head with a base and an intersectingstriking surface, said head being constructed with a pocket above thebase and intermediate its ends having an open top, and being open at theside of the head opposite its striking surface, a sighting devicecomprising a pair of plates joined together at substantially rightangles to each other shaped to t the openings in the pocket, adjustablymovable into different positions, supported near their juncture by apivot in the head diagonally oppositev to and parallel with saidintersection of the base and the striking surface, and a reflectorextending at an angle from the edges of the plates opposite theirjoinedl edges, said plates in one of their positions closing theopenings in the pocket.

4. A putter having an elongated head with a base and a flat strikingsurface intersecting the base at right angles thereto, said head beingconstructed With a pocket above the base and intermediate its endshaving an open top, and being open at the side of the head opposite itsstriking surface, a sighting device comprising a pair of plates joinedtogether at substantially right angles to each other shaped to t theopenings in the pocket, adjustably movable into diiferent positions,supported near their juncture by a pivot in the head diagonally oppositeto and parallel with said intersection of the base and the strikingsurface, a reflector extending at an angle from the /edges of the platesopposite their joined edges,

said plates in one of their positions closing the openings in thepocket, and means for holding the sighting device in desired adjustedpositions.,

. JOI-1N PAUL MAZZIOTTI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,173,384 Rees Feb. 29, 19162,057,275 McKenna Oct. 13, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date10,863 Great Britain 1905 16,834 Great Britain 1906

